Dipper tooth assembly



M y 1963 J. A. HENKEL 3,08

DIPPER TOOTH ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 20, 1961 United States New Jersey Filed Feb. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 90,333 1 Claim. (Cl. 37-142) The present invention relates to a dipper tooth assembly and more particularly such an assembly with novel key means for retaining the tooth and the adapter on which it is supported in the intended assembled relation.

A broad object of the invention is to provide such assembly and key means which is of simple and inexpensive construction.

Another object is to provide such a key means which is of all metal construction and is operative for retaining the tooth and its adapter in metal-to-metal firm mounting engagement.

Still another object is to provide a novel two-part key means facilitating wedging effect of the tooth with its mounting adapter, and positive locking of the key means after it is placed in position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detail description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a dipper tooth assembly including the key means of the present invention, partially in elevation and partially in section;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the assembly of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a face view of one of the key members of FIGURE 1 and taken approximately at the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings the assembly shown in FIGURE 1 includes a tooth adapter of conventional construction and a tooth 12 mounted thereon and secured to the tooth adapter by novel key means indicated generally at 14 and described in detail hereinbelow.

The tooth adapter 10 is utilized for mounting directly to the dipper which is not shown herein, but such dipper and the means of mounting the tooth adapter thereon are conventional and well known. The tooth adapter includes an enlarged body portion 16 which projects forwardly from the edge of the dipper and a forwardly extending projection or nose 18 of generally tapered shape, having an upper bearing face 20 and a lower bearing face 22 converging in forward direction. The projection or nose 18 is provided with an aperture 24 extending transversely therethrough and, in the mounted position of the assembly, disposed vertically.

The tooth 12 has a recess or cavity 26 at its rear end receiving the projection or nose 18 and telescoped therewith. This recess or cavity has an upper bearing face 28 and a lower bearing face 30 engaging and inclined complementally to the respective faces 20 and 22 of the nose 18. These surfaces, together with the key means 14 constitute the sole means for mounting the tooth to the tooth adapter, and preferably there is slight spacing between the lateral surfaces of the nose and cavity as indicated at 32 in FIGURE 2. The shape and dimensions of the cavity relative to the nose are such that when the tooth is filted to the tooth adapter and brought into firm bearing engagemen therewith, a space indicated at 34 may be provided between the tooth and the tooth adapter.

The tooth is provided with an aperture 36 transversely through the upper and lower wall elements of the recess or cavity 26, and at least partially aligned with the aperture 24 in the assembly of the parts, although partially I atent O 3,089,263 Patented May 14, 1963 ice offset therefrom to enable wedging effect by the key means. This aperture 36 includes an aperture 38 in the upper wall element 3-7 and an aperture 40 in the lower wall element 39, the aperture 40 having preferably an enlarged counterbore 42 in the outer surface of the wall element. The nose 18 is cut off on its lower portion to form a flat 44 in which is received an enlargement or projection 46 of the bottom wall element 39 of the tooth to provide greater bearing surface 48 for engagement by the key means.

The key means 14 includes a key adapter 50 and a wedge key 52. The key adapter 50 is shown in side view in FIGURE 1 and face view in FIGURE 3 and will be seen to have a notch or recess 54 and a front surface 56 which is shaped at its lower end for engagement with the surface 48. The key adapter is fitted in the aligned apertures and fitted against the upper wall element 37 of the tooth in such a way that the notch or recess 54 receives a portion of the wall element. The shoulders formed at the upper and lower extremities of the notch engage the wall element and positively lock the key adapter against displacement from the aperture in both directions longitudinally. The key adapter has a rear Wedging surface 58 which may be of planar shape.

The wedge key 52 is of tapered shape as shown in FIGURE 1 and has a planar wedging surface 60 fitted to engage the surface 58 of the key adapter. At its narrow end the wedge key is provided with an elongated reduced dimension projection 62, the wedge key being substantially longer than the vertical dimension of the tooth, and of such length that when the wedge key is in place the projection can be bent over the marginal edge of the wall element 39 defining the aperture. The wedge key is relieved at 64 so as not to interfere with the adjacent por tion of the lower wall element of the tooth.

To place the key means in position, the tooth is fitted to the tooth adapter to the position shown in FIGURE 1, or as nearly to that position as may be practically done. The key adapter 50 is then fitted into place, the apertures being aligned sufficiently to enable insertion of this element, and in so fitting it into position, the notch 54 is disposed to the rear and receives the adjacent portion of the upper wall element 37 of the tooth. The wedge key 52 is then applied by inserting the reduced end 62 in the aperture, which is of course in straight position as shown in dot-dash lines in FIGURE 1 and driven into place. This wedge key produces the desired wedging action for drawing up the tooth into firm supporting engagement on the tooth adapter and when the wedge key has been driven into proper distance, the lower extremity 62 is bent over to the full line position shown, whereby it positively locks the wedge key against displacement in upward direction.

The wedge key is made of malleable material to enable this bending operation.

The construction of the invention has the further advantage that the key adapter, upon its insertion into the aperture is in position for engaging the nose of the tooth adapter and both wall elements of the tooth, and bear on them, as the wedge key is being driven in, as well as after the wedge key is in place.

I claim:

'In a dipper tooth assembly, an adapter having a body portion, a nose projecting forwardly from said body portion and having forwardly converging upper and lower surfaces and a flat face substantially parallel to said upper surface and merging with said lower surface to define a recess adjacent said body portion, said nose having an aperture extending between said upper surface and said fiat face, a tooth having forwardly converging upper and lower walls engaging the upper and lower surfaces on said nose, an enlargement on said lower Wall positioned in said 3 recess, said upper wall and said enlargement having openings in registry with said aperture, a key adapter extending through said openings and aperture and provided at one end with spaced shoulders engaging said upper Wall therebetween, the other end of said key adapter having an inclined shoulder engaging said enlargement, a tapered wedge key extending downwardly through said openings and aperture and engaged between said nose and said key adapter, and a tongue on the lower end of said Wedge key bent beneath the lower end of the key adapter and the lower surface of the enlargement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Buchheit Sept. 9, 1873 Standfuss June 24, 1930 Crawford Mar. 2, 1943 Baer May 3, 1955 Reinhardt et al Nov. 3, 1959 Stratton June 13, 1961 Stephenson Aug 1, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain a Nov. 9, 1944 

